A thousand years ago, the Calradoi were one of a dozen tribes living in the hill country between the southern sea and the Battanian woods. Over time, they subjugated their neighbours, forcing them into a confederation of city-states. Perhaps they were slightly fiercer than the others, or just lucky, or perhaps it was the one tradition that set them apart - the Calradoi had no kings. Ever since the hero Echerion slew the tyrant Cypegos, the institution of the monarchy was banned, in theory at least. There was an assembly of free citizens that met occasionally, a senate of elders (in practice the largest landowners) that sat permanently, and - when it was absolutely necessary - supreme command could be invested for a short time in the person of an emperor, a title that back then meant little more than the right to lead an army.

TaleWorlds has grown over the years into a medium-sized studio with over 70 people, but not so long ago this used to be a very, very small team. Today we want to introduce you to a veteran of the company who was one of the first to join Armagan Yavuz when he was creating the original Mount & Blade: our lead artist Özgür Saral.

Personalities play a large role in the politics of Calradia; some lords may approve of your course of action while others may find it to be distasteful. Forcing the player to make conscious choices based on this creates an additional layer in the strategy aspect of the campaign and adds overall depth to the roleplay element of our games. Discerning between those who will offer support in times of need and those who are likely to cause issues is a relatively subtle part of our games, but those who pay close attention to their relationships and plan accordingly will often have an easier time when plotting their rise to power.

Mount & Blade is RPG, strategy, epic battles... and it's also a unique world which acts as the perfect framework for your own adventures and heroic deeds. Calradia, the continent where Mount & Blade takes place, is a low-fantasy setting deeply rooted in history: its past and factions are inspired by real kingdoms and conflicts of old, but it also adds its own doses of imagination. It's a delicate balance: you have to combine creativity and imagination with thorough research and interpretation of historical sources. The result, however, is worth all the efforts: Calradia may be a fictional place, but it feels as alive and real as our world. It takes a lot of talent and hard work to create such a place, and today we want to introduce you to a member of our team who plays an essential role in its creation: our writer and designer Steve Negus.